[G0MZS]

I was in the local garden shop looking for some tatty seeds and came across some garlic bulbs for sale, Is it too later to plant my garlic, it recommends up to the end of February..?

[sellickbhoy]

i would have said yes - but someone on here plants them this time of year and has no problem

worst case is that you'll have a giant CLOVE rather than a bulb at the end of the process.

some victorian gardeners used to just stick whole (small) bulbs into the ground at this time of year for harvest in the summer

[G0MZS]

I'm going to plant them in half an hour but I've split the clove. See how things go

[Dan]

Like sellickbhoy says they probably won't split into individual cloves (which is triggered by frost I think), so you could leave them in the ground all this year, and next summer you'll probably have a great crop.

We have some semi-permanent garlic around the roses for (alleged) greenfly protection, and they divide every year - there are 30+ shoots from each plant at the moment.

[sellickbhoy]

garlic makes a great companion plant to help protect other plants.

heres a wee article about it

The term co-planting ("companion planting") refers to growing different plants together with mutual benefits to both. Garlic is an especially friendly plant and can assist other crops in a variety of ways. Not only does growing garlic result in your own crop for the kitchen, it can assist the rest of your garden.

The main benefits of garlic to the home gardener are its natural fungicidal and pesticidal properties. These can help keep neighbouring plants healthy.

The powerful antibiotic and antifungal compound allicin is released when garlic cloves are crushed. This also occurs when the clove is bitten into. Thus pests attacking garlic are likely to release its natural pesticide. Some have speculated that allicin evolved this way as a defence mechanism for the crop.

Garlic co-planting is especially beneficial to lettuce (where it deters aphids) and cabbage (deterring many common pests).

As well as protecting other plants garlic can also improve their flavour. Beets and cabbage are reported to be especially good companions that benefit from this.

Not all companion planting combinations are beneficial. Garlic doesn't seem to cooperate well with legumes (beans and pulses), peas or potatoes. Try not to plant these too near your garlic.

As well as co-planting the cloves themselves, you can use garlic extracts to protect other crops. There is a long tradition of treating plants with garlic solution. Recently, scientists at Newcastle University confirmed scientifically that garlic oil is efective at repelling and even killing snails and slugs.

These properties make garlic an excellent choice for the gardener who wants to avoid artificial chemicals and prefers to grow crops as near organically as possible.

[G0MZS]

garlic makes a great companion plant to help protect other plants.

heres a wee article about it

The term co-planting ("companion planting") refers to growing different plants together with mutual benefits to both. Garlic is an especially friendly plant and can assist other crops in a variety of ways. Not only does growing garlic result in your own crop for the kitchen, it can assist the rest of your garden.

The main benefits of garlic to the home gardener are its natural fungicidal and pesticidal properties. These can help keep neighbouring plants healthy.

The powerful antibiotic and antifungal compound allicin is released when garlic cloves are crushed. This also occurs when the clove is bitten into. Thus pests attacking garlic are likely to release its natural pesticide. Some have speculated that allicin evolved this way as a defence mechanism for the crop.

Garlic co-planting is especially beneficial to lettuce (where it deters aphids) and cabbage (deterring many common pests).

As well as protecting other plants garlic can also improve their flavour. Beets and cabbage are reported to be especially good companions that benefit from this.

Not all companion planting combinations are beneficial. Garlic doesn't seem to cooperate well with legumes (beans and pulses), peas or potatoes. Try not to plant these too near your garlic.

As well as co-planting the cloves themselves, you can use garlic extracts to protect other crops. There is a long tradition of treating plants with garlic solution. Recently, scientists at Newcastle University confirmed scientifically that garlic oil is efective at repelling and even killing snails and slugs.

These properties make garlic an excellent choice for the gardener who wants to avoid artificial chemicals and prefers to grow crops as near organically as possible.

Thanks for the information, very useful.

[The Relic]

planted 3 varities last november thought they were growing well till i had a little look there yesterday. they dont seem to have grown much bigger than the cloves i planted. they have 10 inch scapes with some starting to brown. any ideas

[sellickbhoy]

planted 3 varities last november thought they were growing well till i had a little look there yesterday. they dont seem to have grown much bigger than the cloves i planted. they have 10 inch scapes with some starting to brown. any ideas

you've taken a peek too soon, they'll need another 3 months or so yet to grow.

the frost should have done it's job of splitting the clove and as it grows you'll have a bulb.

[The Relic]

3 more months geezes. think they could have split so they just need to grow now is it.

scapes taste good for a garlic chewie.

[sellickbhoy]

yeah, i believe that's the case.

its bloody awful this patience thing, i hate it.

last year was fine for me as it was my 1st year trying anything and i got a late start - not planting anything until may - but this year has been awful, having everything ready and just waiting before i can plant it.

seems it's all go or nothing to do in the garden, you'd have thought nature would have planned it better than that so that you have a nice even work load all year round!

[johnmac]

i've just been given two bulbs of garlic to grow.... i'll give it a go....do i plant the whole bulb? or break it up into each clove within the bulb and plant them seprately?

cheers,

John. 

[sellickbhoy]

you should break it down to cloves (no need to peel/remove the pappery exterior though)

be warned, it's a bit late to be planting, most folk suggest planting in nov/dec time to give it a good frost and harvest in june time

you might find you jsut get giant cloves back!!! but they taste just the same - so no harm done.

some folk regularly put them in at this time of year and they have said they get full bulbs back without any problem.

[Rumpleteazer]

I usually plant in March and that usually works fine for me. You might just get away with it now. Generally ready by July.

[johnmac]

many thanks peeps! I'll get them in asap!!
 

[doganjo]

I put some in a pot last year, don't remember when, but the leaves (scapes - never heard that word before - you live and learn - especially on this forum!) don't look very big/wide so think I'll just leave  them a bit longer.